Happy with the new Naim update

Me too!

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It was very much tongue in cheek :laughing: Not trying to start another debate!

The fact a firmware update can change a transport’s sound shows it is far from 1s and 0s only.

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Yikes - Do you have those scanspeak tweeters.

If your tweeters are 20 years old, please do replace them with the brand-new ones.

That’s what I did (Well, actually, Sean Jacobs did them for me) with my SL2 tweeters, which I think are the same ones as yours, And after they settled in, they were great improvement.

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Sorry, yes, I was being a complete twit.

Of course you knew that! :grinning:

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Another entry on ‘the to do, eventually’ list!

NC 222/250 here. The change to the sound is noticeable and, for me, entirely positive. A sort of ‘tightening up’ rhythmically and dynamically without any harshness that I can detect.
I’m curious if the changes to the firmware lead to any measurable differences in output, or if it lies in the ‘mystery zone’ of ‘measures identically but sounds better’?

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I suggest that a streamer with all its dsp isn’t just a transport like a CD transport, rather different things.

A Naim streamer used as a streamer transport is very basic, even compared to relatively inexpensive ÂŁ500 dedicated streamer transport.

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Updated my 333 in all of 4 minutes. Pleased that it’s fixed my ‘Spotify input not switching off’ issue.

Also, the output didn’t change to ‘Din’ on restart, but remained as I use it - ‘XLR’.

G

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1: yes - the nd5 xs2 can handle tidal max natively now
2: seems to be subjective. I sensed a slight (positive) difference when first updated, but for me it isn’t a major difference

Many thanks for your reply. Number 1 in particular is what I wanted to know. I dropped the D33 off with my local Arcam dealer yesterday to send to Arcam so I will wait to find out what went wrong and if it is repairable.

Crikey, i’m quite startled at how much better the performance is across the board with this new update. :slightly_smiling_face:

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I really like the update. The sound is more vibrant now, maybe better energy would be another word to describe it. I can see how guys with brighter sounding systems might find it a little relentless. But fundamentally it’s a positive change IMO.

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I too think the new update sounds fantastic on my system. Vocals always seemed a little recessed before, much more forward now.

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10 days in with the new firmware.

I know naim have confirmed they did not change DSP but overall there has, to our ears and in our room, been a change to the sound profile for the better.

Ears have taken a little while to adjust whilst we’ve revisited well known albums.

General impression is that the impact has been similar to a U shaped graphic equaliser being applied. Slightly more bass weight, bit more treble. Across the midrange there is more clarity. But no bass flab, no treble splash.

This suits some music more than others. Good masters benefit, poor recordings perhaps don’t fare so well. Modern releases in HiRes generally sound fantastic.

There is more dynamism to the sound, more bite on guitars and vocals. More speed. So the sound has perhaps lost some of the “organic” nature we loved but you’re drawn in by the detail instead. Still induces foot tapping (me) or singing along (SWMBO).

I would say there are aspects of the NC signature we liked at demo which we now hear on our OC system. Win win.

On one of my favourite albums the effects are clear. PJ Harvey’s “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea”.

Kamikaze - a short tune we’ve used to demo throughout our naim journey. Bass weight and speed required plus keeping strands of a complex mix separate. Sounds simply stunning now, vocal clarity like we’ve not heard before.

Same on another track on the album, “This is Love”. Instant slam on intro bass notes, soaring clarity on the vocals, bite on the guitars, clear drums, all kept separate when midrange backing weight comes in. Fantastic.

Have never felt closer to what she was trying to portray in these songs.

One of the reasons we chose our speakers over others such as Spendor at demo was their soundstaging, They play very well with the system now, wider soundstage and a room filling sound like never before.

All together we are very happy bunnies with our system. I can push the volume just that little bit more without inducing any glare.

The one fly in the ointment I suppose is that November’s firmware might change the signature again. Fingers crossed it does not.

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Good description of the changes. As for PJ Harvey …. no, not to my taste, sorry :confused:

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Listening to Stories from the City now - new to me but sounds great on my system

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I was a bit later to the gang. As I upgraded before my holiday, but didn’t really have time to listen to it then. Now I have again listening hours behind me and I observe indeed also improvements. More specifically I have the impression that classical piano music has improved. The coloring/tonality is more acurate as before and nicely refined on the high end.

Obviously I am not talking about night and day, but nevertheless pleasant.

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It’s probably her most accessible album.

She’s a bit like marmite. SWMBO can’t stand her, but sees the value of the test tracks. She can sound truly awful on a system with poor balance.

Check out her collaborations with John Parish too.

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There’s another update coming?

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